Hospital bedstead



' M. F.- BAYER.

Sept. 9, 1930.

HOSPITAL BEDSTEAD Filed April 17. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet- 1 fir if] .jl z zlgentrr 'a Lew ayer y M m Sept. 9, 1930. v M. F. BAYER HOSPITAL BEDSTEAD Filed April 17, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sheets-sheaf. 3

M. F. BAYER HOSPITAL BEDS'I'EAD Filed April 17. 1922 Sept. 9, 1930.

Mum 1 Sept. 9, 1930; YER "1,775,547

HOSPITAL BEDSTEAD Filed April 1'7, 1922 4 sneets-shez 4 Patented Sept. 9 1930- v UNITED s'm'ras .PATENT' OFFICE} MATTHEW BAYER, OF KENOSI-IA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 'IO SIMMONS COMPANY, OI

KEN OSHA, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE HOSPITAL BEDS'IEAD Application filed April 17,

surface formed of a plurahty of sections which maybe readil and conveniently tilted relative to each 0t er to provide an improved construction s'o organized that the respective feet oi-lower limbs of the occupant may be disposed in positions to suit the comfort requirements of each limb or foot independently of the other; to provide an improved arrangement whereby the relatively tiltable sections may be locked against such tilting movement; to provide a construction so arranged that the adjustment of the various sections may be performed rapidly and with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator or discomfort on the part of the occupant of the bed; to provide a construction of the class described which shall be simple in design and economical to manufacture and, in general to provide an'improved and efficient arrangement of the character referred to.

In the drawings which illustrate my invention as applied to an invalid bedstead,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of said bedstead, showing the various sections of the supporting surface diiferently inclined with respect to each other.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bedstead shown in Fig. 1..

r Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the main elements of the supporting frame and elevat ing mechanism.

' ig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Fi 2. v

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55' of- Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 isfa erspective view of a portion of the mechan sm controlling tilting of one of the leg sections.'

Fig. 7 is'a perspective view of the parts shown in Fig.6 but occupyinga different position,and a Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the 1922. serial No. 554,102.v

leg section frames the mechanism being in the same, position as shown in Fig. 6, but viewed from adifferent angle.

Referring to the drawings 10' and 11 respectively represent the head and foot end frames of an ordinary bedstead, the corner posts of which are equipped with suitable large diameter free rolling casters, as at 12. The head and foot ends-1O and 11 are connected together by and support the ends of a rectangular frame '13, said frame being preferably detachably united to the head and food ends 10 and 11 by suitable corner connections 14. The rectangular supporting frame 13 constitutes a support for the sectional bed bottom.

As shown in the drawings, the bed bottom is composed of a central or stationary portion 15, atiltable back rest portion 16, a thigh supporting portion 17 ,also tiltable with reference to the stationary section'15 and a pair of foot pr leg supporting sections 18 and 19 independently'tiltable with reference to sec- 'tion 17. The supportin surface. of-the'bed bottom comprises a lin fabric preferably composed of a series of transversely extending chains 20 stretched and connected between the sideframe members of the bed-bottom sections by means of helicals 21. Said transversely extending chains 20 may be connected together longitudinally of'the length ofthe bedstead by means of suitable cross links which themselves are connected to the end cross members-of the-bed bottom by helicals as at 22.

The central or stationary ortion of the supporting fabric is stretched etween a pair of relativelyshort angle iron' side bars 23 I which are secured by any suitable meanssuch as rivets to the top flan es of the an le irons :24 which constitute si e rails of t e mainrectan'gular supporting frame. To the head end extremities of the angle iron members 23 there are pivoted the side members 25, of U-shaped form, across which the back rest portion of the fabric is stretched. The pivot Joints 26 are preferably arranged so that their axis coincides substantially with the surface of the bed bottom supporting surface so that the mattress will bend freely with the -11 frames of the thigh supporting section 17.

5 tion of the pivotal axis of each of the other sections of the bed fabric is also located in this manner and for the same reason.

To the foot end extremities of the stationary side members 23 there are pivoted angle members 27 which constitute the side To the foot end extremities of the said side membersv 27 there are pivotally connected angle irons 28 which constitute the outside side frames of the independent leg ing sections 18 and 19. The inner side rames 29 of the leg supporting sections 18 and 19 are pivoted together as at 30, the axis of said pivot coinciding with the axes of pivots 31 which pivotally connect angle bars 27 and 28. The side frames 28 and 29 0f the leg supporting sections 18 and 19 are preferably united together at their foot end extremities by transverse angle irons 32, said end members 32 being preferably equipped with bails 33 for facilitating adjustment of the respec- .tive leg sections. If desired, rollers 34, may be mounted on the ends of the side members 28 so that the said ends will slide freely on the upper surfaces-of the side rails 24 when the bedstead sections are being adjusted.

In order to prevent the pull of the helicals from collapsing or drawing toward each other the various side members of the supporting sections, I prefer to employ stretcher bars as at 35, 36, 37 and 38. Said stretcher bars in the present instance .take the form of stout tubes having their ends flattened and riveted to the flanges of the side members as indicated at 39, the central or intermediate portions of said stretcher bars being oifset below the fabric as indicated at 40 so that,

they will not interfere with the resiliency of the bed bottom supporting surface. The foot supporting sections 18 and 19 may be adjusted independently ofeach other and 'maintained such adjusted position by the following mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6,7 and 8, it will be seen that on the outer side bar 28 of each foot section, there is riveted a bracket 41 and to the side bar 27 there is riveted a somewhat similar bracket 42, said brackets 41 and 42 being in substantial alignment. To the said brackets 42 and 41, there are respectively pivoted a cram rod 43 and a coo erating swinging gui e member 44. he cramping rod 43 takes the form of a straight bar of rectangular cross section, and the cramping guide 44- comprises a plate slotted as at 45 to slidably' receive the bar 43, said plate bein riveted to the swingingbailmem ber 46, w "ch extends across and below the supporting surface of the foot section. Said su port bail 46 takes the form, in the present instance, of a len h of angle iron having the ends bent at rig t angles as shown at 47 and 48 to pivotally connect with the bracket 41 and a pivot 49 on the opposite side bar 29 of the foot section.

A force tending constantly to swing the bail 46 away from the pivotal connection 50 of the cramping rod 43 is applied by means of a coiled tension spring 51 connected between the outer end of the bracket 41 and the lower or outer endof the arm '47 whereby, when said spring 51 is permitted to swing said bail, the rod 43will be cramped in the slot 45 of member 44 and thereby prevent '89 further swinging movement of the cramping guide 44, and thus also preventrelative-tilting or swlnging movement of the foot section and the thigh supporting section. 4

-Means are provided to resist the tendency of spring 51 to swing the cramp guide 44 into.

cramping engagement with rod 43 so that, when desired, either of the foot supporting sections may be swung or tilted relative to the thigh supporting section 17. Said means comprises a breakable toggle strut consisting of a pair of links 52 and 53 pivotally connected together at 54 and having their other ends respectively pivotally connected to the bail as indicated at 55 and to a small bracket 56 riveted to the side bar 28. When it is.

desired to utilize the cramping action of bar 43 and guide 44, to prevent relative pivotal enabled to slide freely through the cramping guide 44 without cram ing action. Preferably, for the purpose of permanentl throwing out of action the cramping mem ers, the

inner end of the toggle link 53 is extended.

past the pivot 54 and provided with an integral lug 57 bent so as to extend under the lower edge of thelink 52 so that when the pivot 54 is raised slightly'above a line extending through pivots 55 and 58, said lug 57 will prevent further movement of the pivot 54 upwardly and will thus maintain the strut effect of the't'oggle links.

The foot supporting sections 18 and 19,

each of which is equipped with mechanism such asI have above described in connection with thefoot supportingsection 19, are elevated and depressed manually by t e nurse or other operator when standing at the side of the bedstead. Since the weight of the load I on each foot supporting section is comparatively slight, the nurse can readily lift or control same with one hand by the bail 33, the

other hand serving to control 'the toggle link dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the crank 52. However, since the weight of the back may be applied to the end of shaft 63 in the rest portion and its load, and the weight mannerindicated in Figs. 1 and 5,thus enof the thigh supporting section 17 and its abling nut j72 to be turned with sleeve 69 and load, are considerable, I ifprefer to employ causing'longitudinal movement of theconspecial mechanism for e ecting raising or necting rod 70. Movement of connectlowering movements of such parts, such ing, rod 70 will swing rock arm 74 and mechanism, which will,now be described, bewith it shaft 75 thus rocking arms 80 and 81 ing a valuable feature of my improved bedand through links 83 and 84 causing tilting or stead. swinging movement of back rest section 16. Referring to Figs. 2, ,3 and 5, it will be By turning crank 66 in the proper direction, seen that to the end cross member 59 of the the back rest section 16 may be'tilted or swung supporting'frame, there are riveted a pair of in either direction until it is, adjusted at the U-shaped hangers 60, and within each of said precise angle necessary for maximum comhangers there is pivotally mounted on a horifort or to suit the requirements of the case. zontal axis a- U-shaped strap metal bearing Similar mechanism isemployed for the member 61. In the yoke 62 of said bearing purpose of effecting tilting movement of the for receiving the ends of said pin 65.

member 61, there is punched a bearing aperthigh supportingsection 17, such mechanism ture for rotatably receiving a shaft 63. i the outside end of said shaft 63 there is necting rod '70, rock arm 74 tubular rock pinned a positioning collar 64 and also in the shaft 7 5 and arms and 81 having at their outer end of said shaft 63 there is fixed a pin 'at their outer ends links 83 and 84:. Said 65 extending diametrically through. said last named links have their outer ends pivshaft with its ends projecting outwardly otally connected to the brackets 42, previoustherefrom, said pin 65 serving as a turning ly referred to, whereby on rotating shaft 63, connection for the detachable hand crank 66, by the detachable crank, the pivotal point 31 which is made. with a socket 67 bored out to may be elevated or depressed, thereb effectreceive the end of shaft 63 and having slot 68 ingthe desired adjustment of the thigh supporting section.

The inner end of said shaft 63 is pinned The details of construction and operation in the end of a sleeve or tube 69, said tube conbeing illustrative of merely a single phase stituting a barrel or casing for the threaded of my invention, the scope of same should be end of a rod .70. The threads 71 on the end determined by reference to the appended of sald rod 70 cooperate-with a nut member claims, said claims being construed as broad- 72 located within the barrel or sleeve 69- 2. 1y as possible, consistent with the state of the short distance from the end thereof and conart.

stituting an integral part of said sleeve. I claim as my invention:

The end of said rod 70 remote from threads 1. In a bedstead, the combination of a main 71 is bent or ofiset as indicated at 73 to form frame, a bed bottom supported by said frame V a pivotal connection with a suitable aperture and rovided with relatively tiltable' sections, 111 the lower end of a rock arm 7 4. Sald rock a rod pivotally connected to one of said secarm 7 4 is preferably made with ahub rigidly tions and extending toward the other section, keyed to a tubular shaft member 75 extending 2 a. guide member pivotally mounted on said transversely across thebedstead and having last named section and adapted to slidably reits axis horizontal and disposed at such disceive said rod at a distance from its pivot tance below the supporting surface of the bedwhereby, when said sections are subjected to stead so as not to inte'rferewith the resiliency force tending to tilt same relatlvely in one 1 of the fabric. Said tubular shaft 75 is jourdirection, the guide will crampingly engage naled on a pivot rod or tie rod 7 6 extending said rod and prevent such tilt while, when through a pair of angle members 77, riveted said sections are swung in the other direction, to the under sides'of the side rails 24. To the the rod will slidethrough said guide and perends of the rock shaft 75 there are keyed a mit such movement, means constantly tendpair of hubs 7 8 and 79, to which hubs there are ing to. swing said guide member on its pivot riveted the arms 80 and81, the outer ends of in a direction to romote said cramping effect, said arms being connected by a tie bar or and a member a justable into position to opbail 82. Theouter ends of said arms 80 and pose said last named means. 81 are also connected by means of relatively 2. In a bedstead,the combination of amain short links 83 and 84 with the side members frame, a bed bottom supported by said frame 25 of the'back rest section 20, the point of and provided with relatively tiltable secconnection to the said side members 25 being tions, a rod pivotally connected to one of said at a substantial distance from the pivot 26. sections at a point spaced from the tilting It will be manifest that when the nurse or axis, said rod extending toward the other operator desires to raise the back rest 16 into section, a guide member pivotally mounted on the position shown in Fig. 1, or to lower same said last named section at a point spaced f om from'the position shown in Fig. 1' to the the tilting axis and adapted to slidably roceive said rod at a substantial distance from its pivot, swinging movement of said 'de member being limited in one direction, w ereby, when said sections are subjected to force tendingtov tilt same relatively in one direction, the guide will crampingly engage said rod and prevent such tilt, while, when an oppositely acting force is applied, the rod will slide through said guide and permit tilting in m the other direction, means constantly tending to swing said guide member on its pivot in a direction to promote such cramping effect, anda member manually adjustable for maintaining said guide member in inoperative or non-cram in ition.

P g ii ATTmW F, BAYER. 

